The ministry advises to prepare meals in small quantities so as not to store them for a long time.

Due to emergency and scheduled power outages in Ukraine, the Ministry of Health gave Ukrainians advice on how to safely store products in the event of a power outage.

“In conditions of a full-scale war and armed aggression of Russia, fan and emergency power outages continue in Ukraine. Therefore, the question of how to store products in such conditions has become more relevant than ever,” the department’s message on Facebook says.

So, the Ministry of Health reminded that the temperature in the refrigerator should be +4°C or lower, in the freezer – no higher than -4°C.

“Freeze containers of water to keep your food at 4°C or below if you have to take food out of the refrigerator. If possible, buy dry or block ice,” the MOH advises.

If the electricity has already been cut off, you need to keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed, because in this case the products remain safe for up to 4 hours in the refrigerator, 48 hours in the full freezer, 24 hours in the half-empty freezer. If the power is off for more than 4 hours, ice should be added to the products in the refrigerator.

“Never taste food to check its safety. If in doubt, throw it away. Throw away any food with an unusual smell, color or texture,” the MOH advised.

Foods that still contain ice crystals or are at 4°C or below can be safely refrozen or cooked.

Also, try to prepare in advance and stock up on food products that do not require special storage conditions (bread, cookies, bagels, canned goods, etc.). At the same time, give preference to food products with a minimum amount of salt (recommended no more than 0.3 g of salt per 100 g of product) and sugars (no more than 10 g per 100 g of product),” the Ministry of Health said.

The ministry advises to prepare meals in small quantities so as not to store them for a long time.

In addition, products can be stored in a thermal bag, cellar or basement and on the balcony, if the temperature outside the window is minus.

Blackout in Ukraine

Russia’s extreme mass attack caused a blackout in the Ukrainian power system. Enemy missiles hit the TPP, HPP and other critical infrastructure facilities. In a number of regions, electricity and water were lost, due to power outages there were communication interruptions.

Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said that the current electricity deficit will allow Ukrainians to turn on the lights for 5-6 hours a day.